I’ve been wanting to test out Firefox 3 since it was released a short time ago. I have so many tweaks and plugins installed on my old Firefox 2 instance, that I am not ready to blow it away just yet. Also, over time I’ve been burned many times by becoming an early adopter that I’ve learned just because its new, does not necessarily mean its better. I decided it would probably be a good idea to install FF3 to my USB thumb drive instead of my main system for now. Luckily PortableApps has packaged and released Firefox3 portable for USB drives.

There are many free software applications for the Windows Mobile platform, unfortunately many of them are horrible. After years of testing various apps on both WM5 and Windows Mobile 6 Professional, I have settled on my essential free programs. I’ve decided to only include those programs I use on a regular basis, or find incredibly helpful. I know everyone has their favorites, but these are mine. I recently had several friends purchase windows mobile based phones (after years of me telling them to do so), so this will also serve as a resource for them to get up to speed. I’ve already done the testing to figure out what works and what doesn’t, so you can just start enjoying your phone for all the cool stuff it can do.

Starbucks Coffee is launching their free WIFI access through AT&T tomorrow, June 3, 2008. Unfortunately, it is not unlimited WIFI access. Through the deal between AT&T and Starbucks, customer who have a registered Starbucks Card will be able to access the internet for 2 continuous hours per day. The only other catch is that you must make a purchase once per month with your Starbucks Card to keep the account active.

All in all this is not a horrible deal. Starbucks could have done better by just giving customers free access for the day with purchase, but I can see the logic to limiting to 2 hours per day. I guess some people could just get 2 or more Starbucks Cards and mooch free WIFI all day (if the service does not limit based upon MAC address of your wireless device). The only down side to this whole scheme will be that it will be even harder to find a seat or an outlet at a Starbucks going forward. I’ll give the free WIFI a spin sometime tomorrow and see how it performs.

Remember, you can also get free drip coffee refills from Starbucks with your registered card. So figure $2 for a cup of coffee, free WIFI for 2 hours, and free refills the rest of the day… thats a decent deal.

Just a heads up for everyone who loves coffee. Starbucks is now giving customers free refills on regular drip coffee. If you have a Starbucks card (pre-paid gift card) you can bring your old cup along with the card and get free refills on drip coffee. A tip to make your cup last longer is to transfer your coffee from the paper cup into your own travel mug. I’ve been drinking free coffee all week off the same cup. Shhh, don’t tell Howard Shultz. Overall I don’t feel guilty, I’ve spent enough money at Starbucks and turned enough people on to quality coffee that I figure they owe me some free coffee.

There is a lot of crap in the world of the web right now. I’ve tested hundreds of web sites in the past few years so I know what works and what doesn’t. I’m always on the lookout for the next best thing. The following 50 websites are truly useful. They include web applications, productivity tools, trusted retailers, fun stuff, and useful resources for information. In no way is this meant to be a complete listing of all the good websites on the web right now, but at least a cross section of some of the quality websites available right now that I have reviewed. So give some of these websites a spin. If you like what you see, help spread the w0rd. Trust me, I’m a expert. Please feel free to post your own favorite useful websites in the comments at the bottom of this post and maybe they will be included in the next roundup.

I know, everybody has their own list of "best whatever". But sometimes there is one gem in the rough that you find that makes it worthwhile. When I build a PC I find that I’ve got to hunt down all the software I need to make it go. I’ve rebuilt enough PCs in my day to have this process down, but there may be others out there that don’t have a clue. This list will include FREE software that I use during the course of my work, whatever it may be. I like having everything on my workstation "just right" before I really get into working on a project. It sucks when you are in a groove and you have to stop to install some drivers or hunt for an application you need. I will include links to the software project’s homepage and a brief description. Trust me, these applications are the "best of class" variety and well worth your time.